no specific aetiology for BFS - often the cause is idiopathic
can occur as an isolated symptom or as part of a symptom complex in association with a variety of unrelated clinical settings.
Causes of BFS can be divided into the following categories:
nutritional causes:
vitamin B deficiency
vitamin B deficiency may result in a disturbance in cellular metabolism in the tissues causing accumulation of intermediate metabolites
may cause abnormal and excessive stimulation, or lower the pain and temperature threshold of peripheral sensory nerve endings
BFS may also be an early clinical phase of vitamin B12 deficiency related neuropathy before frank neurological signs appear
malabsorption syndrome, chronic alcoholism - may cause BFS because of associated nutritional deficiencies
metabolic/endocrinal causes:
diabetes mellitus
renal failure (dialysis patients)
hypothyroidism
hereditary causes:
autosomal dominant BFS
familial disorder with an autosomal dominant inheritance
clinical picture is that of bilateral symmetrical pain with no muscle weakness, atrophy or foot deformity
mechanical (entrapment neuropathies) causes:
tarsal tunnel syndrome
traumatic nerve compression
nerve entrapment due to sciatic mononeuropathy and spinal arteriovenous malformation can also cause burning feet (1)
psychosomatic
miscellaneous
erythromelalgia
uncommon disorder characterised by burning pain and redness of the extremities
may be primary or secondary to systemic disorders such as diabetes, collagen vascular disorders, or myeloproliferative disorders such as polycythemia vera or essential thrombocytosis.
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